It Looks Greek To Me
by Boque
Summary: After years of being the level-headed researcher with a gorgeous flat in London, Hermione soon realizes that her mediocre life wasn't what she wanted at all. Will she throw it all away to find who she truly is?


**Author's Note**: This was written to take my mind off of Cherry Tulips and to exercise my right to fall in love with Blaise & Hermione again. It's meant to be fluffy and sweet, with a touch of humor & drama. I hope you guys enjoy it! I loved writing it.

**It Looks Greek To Me**

The relationship was called off due to her fear of being committed to a man she never felt secure enough with. Would he cheat? Would he leave her for another woman? Would he be ashamed and embarrassed to be seen with a witch whose blood wasn't pure? Hermione closed her eyes, cold water dripping from her face. She leaned against her bathroom sink in desperate contemplation. Did she do the right thing? Could this decision drastically change her life forever?

She finally opened her eyes and stared at the woman she had become. She was the top researcher at the Ministry. She owned a gorgeous flat on the beautiful side of London. Her hair decreased with the curls and she was left with smooth waves at last. She was blessed with her wonderful parents and amazing friends. She had a man who loved her – well, until she mucked it all up with her insecurities and overwhelming sense of independence.

What life did one have if there wasn't any love?

"Calm down," she whispered to herself, shaking her head and shutting off the lights. She went into her bedroom and slid into bed without any other thoughts. She shut her eyes tightly and sighed.

* * *

"Granger," Quentin called from her office door.

She looked up and was met with a manila folder to the head. She scowled.

"I'll need that checked by nine tonight," he ordered, pointing a fat finger at her. Hermione shuddered at how atrocious he looked. He donned a flannel robe, open toed slippers, and sporting his receding hairdo without any care in the world. The man thought this department was his home. "And that crazy Lovegood broad called again. Remember to give your direct number. Kept babbling on about butterwings and some nonsense," he grumbled, shutting her door.

Hermione flipped through the report and groaned. She would have to travel to Greece to get all the information she needed. She immediately phoned Luna. "Luna, dear!" she greeted. "I was hoping to have lunch as well. But, would you mind accompanying me to fact check for a bit?" She penned a few notes on a scrap piece of parchment. "Well, I'll be Apparating to Greece. Just meet me at the lobby and dress for warm weather. All right, love. I'll see you then." She hung up the phone and gathered her all her papers.

Slipping on her cardigan, Hermione neatly slid all her files into a beautiful, leather briefcase and shut it close. She pocketed her cell phone – courtesy of her father – and rushed out the door. She waved a few hellos to some of her colleagues and stopped at the elevator. She eyed Quentin scratching his bum in his office. "Oh, God," Hermione said in disgust.

The doors opened and she skipped inside, only to come face-to-face with the man whose heart she stomped all over. Hermione swallowed. She opened her mouth to speak, but for the first time in her life, she had nothing to say.

Cold eyes stared down at her and he said nothing at all.

Out of breath, Hermione uncomfortably moved to the side as another person entered the tiny box. It felt like a coffin more than ever. Breathing shallowly, Hermione squeaked when the closing doors stopped and opened to reveal a sweaty Quentin. "Granger!" he barked.

Hermione jumped at the sound of his voice. "Yes, sir?" she replied meekly.

"You've got until tomorrow for the report. You'll be staying at a bed and breakfast in Syros. Just confirm your room and you should be fine." He sucked some roast beef out of his teeth with his tongue.

"All right. Thank you, sir," she tried to smile, but managed a somewhat odd face instead. The man next to her stared openly.

Quentin nodded his head and back away from the doors. They closed just as he adjusted the front of his pants.

Hermione nearly threw up her lunch.

"Greece?" a voice drawled from behind her.

She nodded, losing her voice once again.

"Running away?" he sneered viciously.

"I'm on assignment," Hermione explained shortly.

The doors opened once again, the stunning lobby in view and a distracted Luna by the front desk. Hermione strode forward to see her, but not before hearing Blaise snarl vehemently, "Try not to destroy anymore men."

She halted and spun around, ready to hex the soul right out of him. She expected a smirk, a sneer, an expression of hatred, but all she witnessed was his blank face and blank eyes. She continued to stare as the doors shut and he was out of view.

"Hermione!" Luna shouted from behind her.

Hermione shut her eyes to shield the pain. Putting on a forced smile, she turned her heel and sauntered to her friend. "You ready for Greece?"

Luna grinned, popping a piece of chocolate into her mouth and winking. "Let's go!"

* * *

"It's a goat," Hermione stated, disgusted. The animal let out gas and she recoiled in fear. "Oh, for Circe's sake!"

Luna giggled, eating a few sweet treats on her goat. "Come on, Herms! They're not so bad." She ran a gentle hand down her animal's head and cooed over the softness of its fur. "They're kind of cute."

"Cute?" Hermione shrieked, swatting away a random fly. "They smell _appalling_!" she exclaimed, screeching when a large Greek man hefted her up and placed her on the saddle.

"You sit," he ordered in his thick Greek accent.

Shocked, Hermione gripped the reigns and swayed with the rhythm of her moving goat. "I could walk faster than these bloody things," she called out to Luna, holding her beach hat to her head.

"I'm going to name my goat Hubert," Luna talked as if Hermione never spoke, "He looks like a Hubert."

"God, this weather is sizzling. I hope the room has air conditioning," she continued to complain, admiring the view from atop the shore.

"Oh, Herms, look!" screamed Luna excitedly, pointing to a horde of horses galloping on the sand. The waves splashed wonderfully against them, creating a display of beauty. "Gorgeous," Luna breathed.

"Why couldn't we just take a horse?" inquired Hermione, irritated. "They're much faster and they don't smell as bad."

"Oh, will you just enjoy this, please?!" Luna snapped. "We are rarely outside of London and we're only here for a night! Stop being such a sourpuss."

Hermione glowered. "I'm not being a sourpuss."

* * *

"Do they really expect us both to sleep in here?" Hermione asked loudly, dropping her belongings. "That bed is disappointing and there aren't any screens on the windows! There are going to be bugs _everywhere_," she whined, stomping an angry foot.

"Oh, _shut_ up," Luna unpacked her clothing on the bed. "If you're going to be a baby, then get out of the room! Your complaining is making my head spin."

Hermione walked out of the bathroom, face green. "Luna. There isn't a toilet. There's a bloody drain and shower and no toilet."

Luna snorted. "Maybe we need to use a communal bathroom."

"They put a shower in there. They couldn't invest in a bleedin' toilet?!"

Luna groaned and smacked a hand to her head. "Seriously, Herms! What is wrong with you? You've been acting like a petulant child since we Apparated. _First_, it was the fact that we couldn't Apparate straight to the hotel."

"Hotel, my arse," Hermione mumbled.

"_Then_, it was the fact that your Boisonberry wasn't working."

"_Black_berry," Hermione corrected.

"And then you glared at the newlyweds who were kissing at a café. They called you some dirty names in French and you proceeded to _hit them with your briefcase_," Luna said the last part deafeningly to ensure her point.

"They deserved it," she said quietly, shrugging.

"You're being bitter and something is wrong. It's either work related or Zabini related and I'm going to choose the latter," finished Luna, crossing her arms over her chest. "Either you tell me or I can lecture you on the dos and don'ts of achieving an orgasm whilst balancing on a railing."

Hermione put up a hand to stop her. "I'll tell you."

Luna raised an eyebrow and waited for an explanation.

Sighing, Hermione ran a hand through her hair and stated simply, "I broke it off with him."

"Okay," Luna chirped, getting back to unpacking.

"What?! _Hello_! I need help," Hermione said frantically.

Luna laughed mockingly. "Yeah, right. I'll tell you what I think you should do and then you'll completely disregard all my advice as if I'm a moron. Then, you'll get into a phase of self-loathing and drink until you're blind and sloshed. I'll find you singing a Celine Dion song in a shady alley and you'll wake up the next morning with a tattoo and an eye patch." Luna stopped and looked at her. "I'd rather not, thanks."

"That was _one_ time!" Hermione argued angrily.

"A time I wish I could Obliviate into eternity," Luna added, shedding her tie-dye shirt and slipping on a lighter top.

Hermione glared at her. "Fine," she gritted out. She grabbed her briefcase and opened the door. "I'm off to do my work." She huffed dramatically and slammed the door.

Luna shook her head. "For a smart girl, she's amazing at stupid."

* * *

"No," Hermione repeated again to the driver. "I want to get to the _market_," she said slowly, as if speaking in a way would break the language barrier between them.

He continued to speak in Greek.

"Right … um … well, thanks anyway," Hermione said at last, walking away and looking down at her map. The clerk at the bed and breakfast said she would be able to walk into market, but her shoes were certainly not made for walking. Another option was to take a goat, though if she valued her life, that was not an option at all.

Passing by the countless numbers of playing children, Hermione looked up and squinted. She ended up somewhere where there were no paved roads. Wait, she thought to herself, were there even paved roads to begin with?

"Oh, fuck," she whispered, halting at once.

She instantly whipped out her Blackberry and checked the reception. "Shit," she mumbled. "No bloody bars." She paled when she realized she left her wand in the room.

"I'm irrevocably fucked for life," she muttered.

Licking her lips, she continued walking. She figured she would see something familiar and find her way back, but things hardly ever go as planned with Hermione.

"Beautiful!" she heard a man catcall from above her.

She looked up and was met with a plethora of shirtless Greek men. She laughed for the first time in Greece.

"American beauty!" one of them called out.

Hermione indulged in her laughter. "Thank you!" she yelled back, waving.

Maybe Greece wasn't so bad after all. She had been so consumed by thoughts of Blaise and the break up, that she completely ignored the fact that she was practically vacationing away in a dazzling country. Luna had a right to be annoyed with her. Hermione would be as well if she were in Luna's place.

It had always been like this. Hermione thought and analyzed and made sure that the conclusion fit perfectly with everything else. It was her duty as a researcher to investigate every possible situation and circumstance. These habits soon molded in with her life. She strived to be the best in the right way and be respected by her colleagues. But what was the prize, really? At the end of the day, she would go home to her flat and enjoy her success in solitude. Ron and Harry were off fighting evil, Ginny was happy and pregnant at the Malfoy Villa in Tuscany, and Luna's magazine was booming in America.

Did she really cherish her independence that much to remain alone for the rest of her life?

Hermione felt disappointed, but not in Greece, not with her work, but with herself.

She glanced down at her briefcase and smiled. She bit her lip and without thinking twice, she threw it over the cement wall and watched as it became lost in the sea.

Her heart was pounding but she felt alive.

"Beauty!" she heard again.

She stared up again. Just below them was a bar. Hermione grinned. Maybe she _would_ wake up with a tattoo and eye patch.

* * *

After swimming in the ocean for a couple of hours, Luna walked back to the bed and breakfast wet and sunburned. Nothing, however, could alter her happy mood. The sand between her toes was glorious and the night sky seemed to calm her. She was extremely close to moving to Greece, but her magazine back in New York stopped her.

She waltzed into the hotel room and was surprised to find it empty. Where was Hermione?

Shimmying out of her wet clothes, Luna made a quick change and walked back outside. She locked the door quickly and ran down the stone steps to the beach. Surely Hermione wouldn't take so long to complete her research.

Luna made a slight right onto a busy street and giggled at the sight of all the dancing. She smiled when a little girl handed her a flower. From what Luna observed, Greece knew how to throw a great party.

She rocked to the beat of the music and fluttered through the crowds, greeting the townspeople and laughing gaily. She paused when her eyes landed on a dancing gypsy in the middle of it all. Her long flowing hair was interlocked with flowers and vines. The outfit she wore was donned with more flowers. She threw her hands in the air in lieu of traditional dancing and moved her hips rhythmically.

"Oh, my God," Luna breathed in admiration.

It was Hermione.

She danced over to her and hugged her hard. "Working, are ya?" she shouted over the music.

Hermione giggled and passed Luna a shot of vodka. "It's time I work on me for a change!" she declared, pounding a fist in the air. "_To Greece_!" she shrieked.

"To Greece!" Luna repeated, downing the drink.

Up above the party, a young girl watched as the two women enticed the males all around them with their flowing dances. The blond grabbed other girls around her to join them while the brunette tried out some salsa moves. The crescent moon loomed over them, showering the blessed luck of Greece over all who contentedly lived their lives with no regrets.

* * *

Luna rolled over with a groan. She forgot to close the shutters, so the sun beamed straight into her eyelids. She winced when she turned over. Why was the bed so hard? She cracked open an eye.

Oh, she was on the floor.

"Herms?" she rasped, refusing to sit up.

No answer.

"Hermione?" she tried again.

Blinking furiously, she rubbed her eyes and stood up, leaning on the bottom side of the bed. She looked about her room and found that her friend was not there. She moaned when she stood up, listening as various bones cracked in her body. She headed straight for the window and went to close the shutters when she spotted Hermione sitting on the steps, admiring the view. She had a pencil and pad in her hand and was doodling feverishly.

Luna closed the shutters and scratched her head. She glanced at the clock and began to throw her discarded clothing in her bag. They would need to check out in less than an hour. She spotted Hermione's bag and saw that she had already finished packing. Shoving her things in her purse, she scanned the room for any forgotten items.

Luna picked up both sacks and walked out the door.

"Herms," she called, still groggy. "You want to take your bag? I need to get Hubert."

Hermione looked up and smiled. "It's so radiant, isn't it?"

"What?"

"The sun," she answered lightly, still smiling. She closed her pad and tucked the pencil over her ear. "You get Hubert. I'll walk beside you both. I need to stretch my legs," she said, getting up and grabbing her luggage. She took one last deep breath and reveled in the feeling of Greece, before setting off, her perspectives and values changed forever.

* * *

"What do you mean you didn't do the report?" Quentin asked, eyes wide and mouth hanging open. He looked left and then right and then back at Hermione.

"I threw it into the ocean," Hermione clarified, smiling.

"What do you mean you threw it into the ocean?" he asked, holding onto his chest and hyperventilating. He sat down into his office chair swallowed hard.

"I just … didn't feel like doing it," she replied, as if doing this sort of thing was normal for her.

"What do you mean you didn't feel like doing it?"

She laughed when he kept repeating the same first phrase over and over. "This just … this isn't for me anymore, Quentin," she said gently. She sat in the chair in front of his messy desk. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to resign."

He stared up at her. "What?! No!" he sputtered, a piece of chicken flying out of his mouth and into his desk.

Hermione made a face. "God, Quentin, try bloody chewing," she said, sickened.

"You're my best researcher! Losing you would be losing this entire department!" he shouted, bashing a fist on his desk. "You can't resign!"

Although she was flattered, Hermione didn't change her mind. "I have all the paperwork all filled out. I left it with Leslie, so it should all be processed by tomorrow." She grinned and stood up, letting out an open hand. "It has been interesting working with you, Quentin. You don't need me and you know it."

Still in shock, he stood up shakily and shook her hand.

Hermione scowled when she pulled her hand back and found traces of pudding on her palms.

"Will you ever come back?" Quentin pursued, his glasses fogging up.

"Oh, God, are you crying?!" exclaimed Hermione, handing him a napkin from her purse.

"Of course not!" he snapped, filching from her hand and dabbing his forehead. "I'm just really hot and dehydrated."

"_Ugh_," said a revolted Hermione, inching towards the door.

"You were a great researcher, Granger," he offered.

She smiled. "You were a great boss."

He chuckled, the goodbye making his eyes water. "Any idea what you're going to do now?"

She smiled even wider and shrugged. "Take some time off. Enjoy my life while I'm still young."

"You need a job, Granger. You can't live like a gypsy."

She laughed at the memory of herself and Luna dancing under the blue moon. "I can. Maybe I will."

* * *

"Adara!"

The young girl giggled furiously and spun around in circles on the shore.

"You're going to get sick!" Hermione called out, laughing at the girl's antics.

Four months had passed in a slow and magnificent pace and Hermione had relocated to the one place where she felt she could focus on herself. She purchased a bungalow style home just off the beach with stone walls and beautiful Mediterranean decorating. Her Greek was still a little rough, but she had made hilarious and interesting friends to help it along. Luna visited her often and they spent their nights dancing and drinking wine. Their mornings, however, were more leisure and quiet.

Hermione gardened almost every single day, planting more and more shrubbery and flowers that she sold to the local florist.

Her life was calm and free. There weren't any phone calls, no owls, no answering to a higher authority. She was living her life on her own terms and she couldn't be any more satisfied with the splendor of it all.

"Herms!" Luna yelled from the kitchen window.

Hermione turned her head.

"Ron, Ginny, and Harry are coming over by boat. Can you look out for them? I'm not sure if the dock is closing soon."

"Yeah, sure," said Hermione.

"And bring me a bouquet of lilies. I want to see if Hubert might like the taste of those instead of the tulips."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "All right!"

"Oh! And your parents are coming in by plane, so they should be here tomorrow morning!"

"Adara!" Hermione repeated, jogging over to the redhead. "You're going to retch up your lunch if you keep spinning like that!"

The young girl didn't stop. Her giggles grew louder and louder.

Hermione caught up with her and picked her up. "You are absolutely bonkers, you know that?" she teased, tickling her profusely. As she played with her neighbor, Hermione looked out into the sea and spotted a white boat sailing towards the empty dock. Sighing, she grasped Adara's hand and led her to the pier. "You want to meet some friends of mine, darling?"

She nodded, giving her a toothy grin.

* * *

"And then she _bit_ his lip and her mouth was just _overflowing_ with blood," Ginny told the tale of Malfoy's promiscuous cousin. "She had no idea we were in the room. When Draco cleared his throat, she pushed the poor Hufflepuff away and literally scurried out of there like a criminal!"

Hermione laughed uproariously, pouring herself another glass of wine. "Did any of the blokes find her afterwards?"

Ginny shook her head, holding her bulging belly and trying to contain her laughter. "She moved straight out of her flat and no one has heard from her since. Draco is worried, but I assured him that she's hiding out in a cave somewhere until this whole _sex_capade is all blown over."

"Literally," Luna mumbled.

The room erupted with hilarity.

"He tried filing a report with the Ministry. Ron was given the assignment," Harry took a swig his beer. "He put it right under all the other assignments."

"Ronald!" Hermione scolded, still chuckling.

"What?" he asked innocently. "It's not an important case. She's ashamed and rightly so. I hope she stays in that bloody cave."

"Poor girl will develop Milterlyn," stated Luna, braiding her long hair.

"What on earth is that?" Ron inquired.

"It's a disease in which one is sexually attracted to caves as if it was a real person," she responded flippantly.

Ginny snorted. "I wouldn't doubt it. She'd screw anything remotely alive."

Their amusing conversation was interrupted by a knock at the door. Hermione turned to Luna. "Did you invite Matteo and the guys over?"

"_What_ guys?" asked Ron, putting down his beer and getting ready to fight.

"Oh, hush," said Hermione, holding his hand.

"No, I don't think I did. Matteo said he had a family dinner to attend to," Luna responded, walking to the door. She tied a lose braid with a ribbon and unlocked the door. She opened it slowly and squeaked as she stared, wide eyed, at the intruders.

"Who is it, then, Luna?" Harry inquired from behind her.

"Um …" She didn't answer, but swiftly pushed back the two men and shut the door behind her. "What are you doing here?" she spat fiercely, still grasping the knob.

"Seems the country is doing you well."

Blaise Zabini smirked at her, hands in the pockets of his very expensive trousers. He looked at the door behind her and asked, "You not going to let us in?"

"Of course not," she hissed, turning red. "Why would I?"

"Well, we took a bloody goat up here, so I think we deserve some sort of hospitality," he sneered back at her.

"Luna," a voice called from the door. The knob slipped from her fingers and Harry stepped outside. Spotting the two Slytherins, he instantaneously placed Luna behind him and clutched his wand. "Malfoy? Zabini? What's going on here? Something break in the case?"

"Good evening, Potter," Blaise shook his hand firmly. "No, this has nothing to do with work. I'm actually here to convince the woman I love that she should snap out of her ridiculous haze and finally marry me."

Luna gasped.

"And I'm here to kiss my wife," said Draco, grinning. He walked around Harry and Luna and entered the bungalow. "Gin, darling," they heard him say blissfully.

"I don't think she wants to see you," Luna said coldly, raising an irate eyebrow.

"Luna," Harry whispered. He turned to Blaise. "We'll get her."

He entered the home once again. "It's for you, 'Mione," Harry stated softly, touching her shoulder. She looked to Luna, who refused to meet her eyes.

Confused, Hermione left the table and opened the door. Her heart leapt into her throat when she was face-to-face with her previous lover. "Blaise," she greeted, stunned to the core.

"Greece has done well to you also," he said kindly, smiling genuinely.

"What …" She paused, trying to regain the ability to speak. "What are you doing here?"

"I didn't see or hear from you in months and I went to your office and found it occupied by some lowlife with his pants down and his secretary servicing him," he replied.

Hermione frowned. "Was it Davies?"

He nodded and grinned. "It was Davies."

"And Tallulah?" she inquired, remembering a time when Tallulah would walk out of Davies' old office with her shirt on backwards.

"Why didn't you contact me?"

His words hung in the air. Why hadn't she contacted him? Her decision was so sudden and quick and when she finally bought the house, her life shifted from London to Greece in a matter of days.

"I was afraid," she admitted, staring down at the ground. "I was afraid you would … you would think me this horrible wench who was out for male blood and …"

"I never meant what I said that day in the elevator," he apologized, cutting her off, "and I'm sorry if that caused you distress."

"You were right," she said plainly, voice breaking. She looked up at him and shrugged. "I loved you. Blaise, I _still_ do. But, I was so sure – so positive – that all I needed was myself. I needed to find _me_ first." She gestured to the ocean, to the trees, and to her garden. "When I came here … all of this … it was like it was all waiting for me to realize that I needed to figure out on my own who I wanted to be."

"And who are you now?"

She smiled wistfully. "I'm Hermione Granger. I'm a florist of the local market and a babysitter to a sweet little girl named Adara. I finally have time to garden and paint and smell the fresh air all around me. I have wonderful friends and a supporting family." She stepped forward and held his face with her hands. "I was once with a great man who loved me. I could only hope he would still want me after all this time."

He smirked and pulled her close. "I guess I'll be moving to Greece."

Before she could say something, his head dipped and his lips touched hers in a passionate kiss.

It was then did Hermione finally feel whole in her new home.

As they proceeded with their public affection, Ron slipped past the door behind them and gagged. "Oh, for fuck's sake," he shouted, rushing back into the house.

Hermione smirked.

It was all Greek to her.

* * *

**Reviews would be spectacular :D**


End file.
